Apparatus for making handles for carrier bags

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for making a U-shaped carrier bag handle from a strip of plastics sheet material having end portions of the strip that are to form the limbs of the U-shaped handle folded over inwardly to overlie a central portion of the strip that is to form the web of the U-shaped handle, the said apparatus comprising a pair of rotary feeding and retaining rolls for a plastics web that has folded-over longitudinal margins, a pair of rotary severing rolls adapted to rotate faster than said feeding and retaining rolls and to engage the web intermittently so as to sever the strip from the leading end of the web, one of the severing rolls being segmented to form a pair of cantilever-mounted stub rolls at an axial spacing from one another, a pair of movable suckers rotatable in opposite directions to engage the folded-over end portions of the severed strip and turn them at right-angles to the said central portion, a carrier for said suckers adapted to move tangentially into and out of the space between the stub rolls, and drive means on said carrier effective to rotate said suckers through 90* in opposite directions in one sense as the carrier moves out of the said space and in the opposite sense as the carrier moves into the said space.

United States Patent Bosse [75] Inventor: Frank Bosse,Ibbenburen-Dorenthe,

Germany [73] Assignee: Windmoller & Holscher, Lengerich,

Germany [22] Filed: May 15, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 360,592

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 26, 1972 Germany 1. 2225671[52] US. Cl. 93/8 WA, 93/35 H, 225/100 [51] Int. Cl. ..B31b 1/86 [58]Field of Search 93/8 WA, 35 R, 8 R, 1 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,034,409 5/1962 Finke eta1. .1 93/8 WA 3,439,591 4/1 69 Class 93/8 WA X 3,613,523 10/1971Wesselmann 93/8 WA 3,660,204 5/1972 Wesselmann et a1. 93/8 WA X 3,6755427/1972 Torigoe .1 225/100 X 3,730,411 5/1973 Brockmuller 225/1003,753,824 8/1973 Bosse 93/35 H X APPARATUS FOR MAKING HANDLES FORCARRIER BAGS Primary Examiner-R0y Lake Assistant Examiner.lames F. CoanAttorney, Agent, or Firm Fleit. Gipple & Jacobson ABSTRACT Apparatus formaking a U-shaped carrier bag handle from a strip of plastics sheetmaterial having end portions of the strip that are to form the limbs ofthe U- shaped handle folded over inwardly to overlie a central portionof the strip that is to form the web of the U-shaped handle, the saidapparatus comprising a pair of rotary feeding and retaining rolls for aplastics web that has folded-over longitudinal margins, 21 pair ofrotary severing rolls adapted to rotate faster than said feeding andretaining rolls and to engage the web intermittently so as to sever thestrip from the leading end of the web, one of the severing rolls beingsegmented to form a pair of cantileverr-mounted stub rolls at an axialspacing from one another, a pair of movable suckers rotatable inopposite directions to engage the folded-over end portions of thesevered strip and turn them at right-angles to the said central portion,a carrier for said suckers adapted to move tangentially into and out ofthe space between the stub rolls, and drive means on said carriereffective to rotate said suckers through 90 in opposite directions inone sense as the carrier moves out of the said space and in the oppositesense as the carrier moves into the said space.

6 Claims, 11 Drawing; Figures PATENTED JUH25 m4 SHEET 3 (1F 5 APPARATUSFOR MAKING HANDLES FOR CARRIER BAGS The invention relates to apparatusfor performing the preferred method disclosed in our Pat. applicationNo. 24073/71 (German Pat. No. 2,012,084), namely a method of making aU-shaped carrier bag handle from a strip of plastics sheet materialhaving end portions of the strip that are to form the limbs of theU-shaped handle folded over inwardly to overlie a central portion of thestrip that is to form the web of the U-shaped handle, wherein the stripfor the handle is severed from a plastics web which has a width of thedesired strip length, has folded-over longitudinal margins correspondingto the folded-over end portions of the strip, and has transverse linesof weakness at intervals equal to the desired strip width, and whereinthe end portions of the severed strip are turned in mutually oppositedirections about respective axes until the said end portions extend atright-angles to the central portion, the said axes being substantiallynormal to the plane of the central strip portion and being spaced apartby a distance equal to the ultimate spacing desired between the centrelines of the limbs. 1

According to the present invention, which aims to provide relativelyuncomplicated and economical apparatus for performing the aforementionedmethod, the apparatus comprises a pair of rotary feeding and retainingrolls for the folded web, a pair of rotary severing rolls adapted torotate faster than said feeding and retaining rolls and to engage theweb intermittently so as to sever the strip from the leading end of theweb, the diameters of said rolls and the axial spacing of the severingrolls from the feeding and retaining rolls being no greater than twicethe desired strip width, that roll of the pair of severing rolls whichengages the web at the side of the folded-over longitudinal marginsbeing segmented to form a pair of cantilever-mounted stub rolls at anaxial spacing from one another, a pair of movable suckers rotatable inopposite directions to engage and turn the folded-over end portions ofthe severed strip as aforesaid, a carrier for said suckers adapted tomove tangentially into and out of the space between the stub rolls, anddrive means on said carrier effective to rotate said suckers through 90in oppositedirections in one sense as the carrier moves out of the saidspace and in the opposite. sense as the carrier moves into the saidspace.

Such an apparatus permits the plastics strip to be engaged by thesuckers at the folded-over end portions whilst it is being severed fromthe web and whilst the carrier for the suckers is moving in unison withthe severing rolls, and to turn the folded-over end portions of thestrip through 90into their final position during continued movement ofthe carrier, the handle thus formed then having adhesive applied to itslimbs and being applied to a carrier bag or to a web from which thecarrier bag is subsequently made. By reason of the fact that the blyalso segmented to form a pair of cantilevermounted stub rolls at anaxial spacing from one another, the carrier being mounted for rotationin a single direction at a tangent to the web feed to carry the suckersfirstly between the stub rolls of the feeding and retaining rolls andthen between the stub rolls of the severing rolls. This utilizes theadvantages of uniformmotion for the carrier.

To facilitate manipulation and guiding of the strip whilst it is beingformed into a U-shaped handle, the carrier is, atleast in the axialregion of the suckers and at least in a circumferential length that isdirectly upstream of the suckers and corresponds to the length of thelimbs of the U-shaped handle, preferably in the form of curvedsupporting discs or segments for the limbs, the curvature of said discsor segments conforming to the curve described by the suckers as thecarrier is rotated. It is also an advantage if the carrier cooperateswith a transfer drum that is effective to receive the handle and applyadhesive or an adhesive reinforcing sheet to the limbs thereof, thetransfer drum being equipped at its periphery with at least one clampingjaw for engaging the limbs or the sheet. To ensure safe transfer of thehandle to an adhesive reinforcing sheet, the apparatus may include apressure lever for acting on the limbs of the U-shaped handle, thepressure lever being pivoted to the carrier and having a pressure faceimmediately upstream of the suckers, and a stationary cam co-operatingwith a spring-influenced cam follower provided on the pressure leverwhereby, when the carrier is in a position at which the handle istransferred to the transfer drum, the pressure lever is swung againstthe spring influence to project the said pressure face radiallyoutwardly beyond the curve described by the suckers as the carrier isrotated.

There are various basic possibilities for rotating the suckersrelatively to the carrier. One way, which avoids electrical ormechanical complications and ensures that the suckers are rotated inmutually opposite directions at substantially equal speeds, involves theprovision for each sucker of a pinion which is rotatable therewith andengages a rack that is axially displaceable in the carrier withinlimits, one of the pinions being inmesh with the rack with an evennumber of teeth engagements and the other with an odd number of teethengagements, each rach being displaced in one direction whilst thecarrier is rotating between a position at which the strip is severedfrom the web and a position at which the handle is transferred to thetransfer drum and being displaced in the opposite direction during theremainder of the carrier rotation. More particularly, positivereciprocating movement of the rack in an axial direction can be effectedby an arcuate face cam disposed concentric to the rotary axis of thecarrier. Such a drive for the rack is favourable even thoughelectromagnetic, hydraulic or pneumaticmeans will be required to movethe rack.

An example of the invention will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. la to If are diagrammatic side elevations showing respectively aplastics web from which the strip material for the handle is severed, asevered strip engaged by suckers, the strip in the process of beingformed to a U-shaped handle, the finished U-shaped handle, the handleattached to a reinforcing sheet, and

the reinforcing sheet with handle secured the top of a carrier bag;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the apparatus for making thehandle taken on the line II-II in FIG. 4;

FIG. 3 is a part-sectional plan view of the FIG. 2 apparatus, thesevering rolls having been omitted for clar- FIG. 4 is an elevation ofthe apparatus in the direction of the line IV-IV in FIG. 2;

FIG. is a section through the carrier of a modified apparatus, and

FIG. 6 is a vertical section through a further embodiment of carrierillustrating the components at an instant when a handle is beingtransferred to a transfer drum.

Referring to FIG. la, the starting material for making plastics handlesis a web A of sheet material of which the longitudinal margins arefolded over inwardly onto a central portion of the web so that thespacing x between the longitudinal edges of the web is substantiallyequal to the desired length of the web of the U- shaped handle to bemade. A finished handle is shown at G in FIG. Id. At intervals b equalto the width of strips T to be severed from the web A, the latter isprovided with transverse lines of weakness P which may consist ofincisions interrupted by small lands s. These lands are disposed in thevicinity of the longitudinal folded-over margins of the web. Suckers 4,4' are used to engage each severed strip T at its folded-over endportions. By rotating the suckers in mutually opposite directions, thefolded-over end portions of each strip T are turned in the mannerindicated in FIG. Ic until they are at substantially right-angles to thecentral portion of the strip, which will then have been transformed to aU-shaped handle as shown in FIG. Id. The form of the handle G isretained by means of the suckers and the limbs of the handle can beprovided with adhesive for direct application to a carrier bag. Thenarrower the spacing x in relation to the centre-to-centre spacing y ofthe suckers, the larger will be the extent by which the ends of thelimbs project beyond the suckers, which may be suction cups, and thelonger will be the end which is to be pressed against a transfer drum bya lever to be described hereinafter. However, as shown in FIG. Ie, thelimbs of the handle may be applied to an adhesive reinforcing sheet Bwhich, in turn, is stuck to a carrier bag C as shown in FIG. If. Such areinforcing sheet B brings about a more secure connection between thehandle and the carrier bag.

An apparatus for carrying out the aforementioned stages in production isillustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4. It comprises a pair of delivery rolls I forsupplying the folded-over web A of FIG. I a in the direction of thearrow a, transverse incising apparatus 2 for producing the transverselines of weakness P, severing means 3 for successively tearing strips Tfrom the leading end of the web A, and a constantly rotating carrier 5for the suckers 4, 4'.

The suckers 4, 4' are rotatable relatively to the carrier 5 about radialshafts 6, 6, the suction surfaces of the suckers being disposed at theperiphery of the carrier. The axial spacing between the suckers is equalto the spacing y of the centre lines of the limbs of the U shaped handleto be made. By means of flexible conduits 7, 7', the suckers 4, 4 areconnected to a central bore 8 of a rotary shaft 9 for the carrier 5.This bore 8 communicates with the usual control head of a vacuum pump(not shown). In the embodiment of FIG. 6, suction is applied through theinterior of the shafts of the suckers in a somewhat different manner.The shafts 6, 6 of the suckers carry fixed pinions 10, I0 respectively,which engage with racks 11, II. The racks are mounted on control barsI2, 12 which are mounted in the carrier 5 for displacement in adirection parallel to the rotary shaft 9 of the carrier. Each controlbar l2, 12 is associated with a stationary control cam 13, 13 (see FIG.3) which is concentric with the rotary shaft 9 and against the cam faceof which the end of the respective control bar is urged by a spring I4,14. The control cams I3, 13 are so designed that the suckers 4, 4' willbe accurately turned through in opposite directions whilst the carrier 5is rotating. In the vicinity of the suckers 4, 4, the carrier 5comprises supporting discs 15, I5 which are concentric to the rotaryshaft 9 and the peripheries of which are flush with the suction faces ofthe suckers (FIG. 2).

A modified form of rotary drive for the suckers is shown in the exampleof FIG. 5. In the carrier 5a of FIG. 5, provision is made for only onecontrol bar I2a which is displaced against the force of a spring 14a bya single face cam 13a. The control bar carries two rack segments Ila and11a The rack segment 11a is in direct mesh, i.e., with an odd number ofteeth engagements, with the pinion 10 of the sucker 4 and the other racksegment lIa is in mesh with the pinion 10 of the other sucker 4 throughan intermediate gear lItIa, i.e., the pinion I0 and rack segment Ila arein mesh with an even number of teeth engagements.

The severing means 3 comprise a pair of feeding and retaining rolls I6,16' and a pair of severing rolls I7, I7. To ensure that only onetransverse line of weakness is disposed between the nip of the rolls 16,16 and the nip of the rolls I7, I7, the spacing between these nips mustbe no more than twice the narrowest width b of the strip T desired to beprocessed by the apparatus. For this purpose, the diameter of any ofthese rolls should not exceed twice the minimum width of strip. Thesevering rolls 17, I7 have a markedly higher circumferential speed thanthe rolls 16, 16. The feeding and retaining rolls I6, I6 have acircumferential speed equal to that of the delivery rolls 1 and thiscircumferential speed is such that the web A is fed in the direction ofthe arrow 0 by a distance equal to the strip width b during each cycleof operations. As indicated by the arrow c in FIG. 2, the upper severingroll 17 is reciprocatable towards and away from the roll I7 in sequencewith the operating cycle of the apparatus. The carrier 5 is disposed inrelation to the severing means 3 such that its supporting discs 15, 15'and suckers 4, 4 loosely roll on the upper severing roll 17 when thelatter is in its lowered condition. The circumferential speed of thecarrier 5 is equal to the circumferential speed of the upper severingroll 17. To permit this cooperation between the carrier 5 and the uppersevering roll 17, the lower severing roll 17' is segmented as shown inFIG. 4 to form a pair of cantilever-mounted stub rolls disposed at anaxial spacing from one another. The spacing between the stub rolls is atleast equal to the width of the carrier so as to permit the entry of thecarrier between the stub rolls and unhindered access of the suckers tothe web A. Similarly, the lower roll I6 of the pair of feeding andretaining rolls is segmented to permit the carrier to enter the spacebetween the segments.

The web A is provided with the transverse lines of weakness P by theapparatus 2 as it is being continuously moved in the direction of thearrow a in FIG. 2. The web is engaged by the feeding and retaining rolls16, 16 and led to the severing rolls 17, 17' whilst the upper severingroll 17 is lifted off the lower roll 17'. The leading strip T defined onthe web A thereby arrives in the region of the suckers 4, 4 that aremoving in unison with the carrier 5 and the suckers engage this strip atthe folded-over end portions and retain same. At practically the sametime, the leading strip arrives between the severing rolls l7, 117 whichengage same when the upper roll 17 has been lowered and then tear thestrip off the web. The strip is retained on the carrier 5 by the suckers4, 4 and moved away from the severing device 3. During continuedrotation of the carrier 5, the racks ll, 11' are displaced axially withthe aid of the control bars 12, 12' and the stationary control cams 13,I3. As the racks are displaced, the suckers '4, 4 are rotated through 90in mutually opposite directions. Since the suckers only engage thefolded-over end portions of the strip, it is only these end portionsthat are turned through 90 as the suckers are rotated. Upon terminationof rotation of the suckers, the end portions of the strip will be atright-angles to the central portion and are retained in this position bythe suckers, the end portions being supported by the supporting discsl5, 15' of the carrier. With the aid of adhesive applicator segmentswhich rotate in unison with the carrier 5, the limbs of thehandle may beprovided with adhesive and then applied directly to a carrier bag.

A better connection between the handle and the carrier bag is achievedby associating the carrier 5 with a synchronously rotating transfer drum18 by means of which an adhesive reinforcing sheet B is stuck to thelimbs of the handle (see FIGS. If and 2), the handle being transferredfrom the carrier 5 with the aid of grippers 19. The part of thereinforcing sheet not covered by the handle is then adhered to a carrierbag which is moved in unison with the transfer drum 18 and tangentiallythereto.

To ensure that the limbs of the handle held by the suckers will bereliably transferred to the transfer drum 18, a pressure lever 20/21 isprovided on the carrier 5 as shown in FIG. 6. This pressure leverconsists of a pair of pressure fingers 20, one of which is mounted inthe same axial position as one of the suckers, and a pivotal lever 21disposed between the two pressure fingers. Both levers, the pair offingers and the pressure lever are fixed to a pivotal shaft 22 which isrotatably mounted on the carrier 5. The pressure faces 23 of the lever20/21 are disposed immediately upstream of the suckers as viewed in thedirection of rotation of the carrier.

A spring 24 tends to urge the pressure lever 20/21 into an inoperativeposition at which the pressure face 23 is located between the surface ofthe supporting disc 15. At the end opposite the pressure face 23, thelever is provided with a cam follower 25 co-operating with a cam 26. Thecam 26 is located in a circumferential and radial position relatively tothe supporting plate 15 and the rotary shaft 9 such that, at the instantof transfer of the handle T to the reinforcing sheet as shown in FIG. 6,the cam follower roller 25 is depressed and the pressure faces 23 of thepressure fingers 20 are projected beyond the surface of the supportingdisc 15. The pressure faces 23 are padded with a layer of foam material.Since the foam material is compressible, the pressure with which thefingers 20 are applied to the transfer drum I8 is not critical.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for making a U-shaped carrier bag handle from a strip ofplastics sheet material having end portions of the strip that are toform the limbs of the U- shaped handle folded over inwardly to overlie acentral portion of the strip that is to form the web of the U- shapedhandle, wherein the strip for the handle is severed from a plastics webwhich has a width of the desired strip length, has folded-overlongitudinal margins corresponding to the folded-over end portions ofthe strip, and has transverse lines of weakness at intervals equal tothe desired strip width, and wherein the end portions of the severedstrip are turned in mutually opposite directions about respective axesuntil the said end portions extend at right-angles to the centralportion, the said axes being substantially normal to the plane of thecentral strip portion and being spaced apart by a distance equal to theultimate spacing desired between the centre lines of the limbs, the saidapparatus comprising a pair of rotary feeding and retaining rolls forthe folded web, a pair of rotary severing rolls adapted to rotate fasterthan said feeding and retaining rolls and to engage the webintermittently so as to sever the strip from the leading end of the web,the

diameters of said rolls and the spacing of the axes of the severingrolls from the feeding and retaining rolls being no greater than twicethe desired strip width, that roll of the pair of severing rolls whichengages the web at the side of the folded-over longitudinal marginsbeing segmented to form a pair of cantilever-mounted stub rolls at anaxial spacing from one another, a pair of movable suckers rotatable inopposite directions to engage and turn the folded-over end portions ofthe severed strip as aforesaid, a carrier for said suckers adapted tomove tangentially into and out of the space between the stub rolls, anddrive means on said carrier effective to rotate said suckers through inopposite directions in one sense as the carrier moves out of the saidspace and in the opposite sense as the carrier moves into the saidspace.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein that roll of the pair offeeding and retaining rolls which engages the web at the side of thefolded-over longitudinal margins is also segmented to form a pair ofcantilevermounted stub rolls at an axial spacing from one another, thecarrier being mounted for rotation in a single direction at a tangent tothe web feed to carry the suckers firstly between the stub rolls of thefeeding and re taining rolls and then between the stub rolls of thesevering rolls.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, at least in the axial regionof the suckers and at least in a circumferential length that is directlydownstream of the suckers and corresponds to the length of the limbs ofthe U-shaped handle, the carrier is in the form of curved supportingdiscs or segments for the limbs, the curvature of said discs or segmentsconforming to the curve described by the suckers as the carrier isrotated.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, including a transfer drumco-operating with the carrier and effective to receive the handle andapply adhesive or an adhesive reinforcing sheet to the limbs thereof,the transfer drum being equipped at its periphery with at least oneclamping jaw for engaging the limbs or the reinforcing sheet.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each sucker is provided witha pinion which is rotatable therewith and engages a rack that is axiallydisplaceable in the carrier within limits, one of the pinions being inmesh with the rack with an even number of teeth engagements and theother with an odd number of teeth engagements, each rack being displacedin one direction whilst the carrier is rotating between a position atwhich the strip is severed from the web and a position at which thehandle is transferred to the transfer drum and being displaced in theopposite direction during the remainder of the carrier rotation.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 including a pressure lever for actingon the limbs of the U-shaped handle, said pressure lever being pivotedto the carrier and having a pressure face immediately upstream of thesuckers, and a stationary cam co-operating with a spring-influenced camfollower provided on the pressure lever whereby, when the carrier is ina position at which the handle is transferred to the transfer drum, thepressure lever is swung against the spring influence to project the saidpressure face radially outwardly beyond the curve described by thesuckers as the carrier is rotated.

1. Apparatus for making a U-shaped carrier bag handle from a strip ofplastics sheet material having end portions of the strip that are toform the limbs of the U-shaped handle folded over inwardly to overlie acentral portion of the strip that is to form the web of the U-shapedhandle, wherein the strip for the handle is severed from a plastics webwhich has a width of the desired strip length, has folded-overlongitudinal margins corresponding to the folded-over end portions ofthe strip, and has transverse lines of weakness at intervals equal tothe desired strip width, and wherein the end portions of the severedstrip are turned in mutually opposite directions about respective axesuntil the said end portions extend at right-angles to the centralportion, the said axes being substantially normal to the plane of thecentral strip portion and being spaced apart by a distance equal to theultimate spacing desired between the centre lines of the limbs, the saidapparatus comprising a pair of rotary feeding and retaining rolls forthe folded web, a pair of rotary severing rolls adapted to rotate fasterthan said feeding and retaining rolls and to engage the webintermittently so as to sever the strip from the leading end of the web,the diameters of said rolls and the spacing of the axes of the severingrolls from the feeding and retaining rolls being no greater than twicethe desired strip width, that roll of the pair of severing rolls whichengages the web at the side of the folded-over longitudinal marginsbeing segmented to form a pair of cantilever-mounted stub rolls at anaxial spacing from one another, a pair of movable suckers rotatable inopposite directions to engage and turn the folded-over end portions ofthe severed strip as aforesaid, a carrier for said suckers adapted tomove tangentially into and out of the space between the stub rolls, anddrive means on said carrier effective to rotate said suckers through 90*in opposite directions in one sense as the carrier moves out of the saidspace and in the opposite sense as the carrier moves into the saidspace.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein that roll of the pairof feeding and retaining rolls which engages the web at the side of thefolded-over longitudinal margins is also segmented to form a pair ofcantilever-mounted stub rolls at an axial spacing from one another, thecarrier being mounted for rotation in a single direction at a tangent tothe web feed to carry the suckers firstly between the stub rolls of thefeeding and retaining rolls and then between the stub rolls of thesevering rolls.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, at least inthe axial region of the suckers and at least in a circumferential lengththat is directly downstream of the suckers and corresponds to the lengthof the limbs of the U-shaped handle, the carrier is in the form ofcurved supporting discs or segments for the limbs, the curvature of saiddiscs or segments conforming to the curve described by the suckers asthe carrier is rotated.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 2, including atransfer drum co-operating with the carrier and effective to receive thehandle and apply adhesive or an adhesive reinforcing sheet to the limbsthereof, the transfer drum being equipped at its periphery with at leastone clamping jaw for engaging the limbs or the reinforcing sheet. 5.Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each sucker is provided with apinion which is rotatable therewith and engages a rack that is axiallydisplaceable in the carrier within limits, one of the pinions being inmesh with the rack with an even number of teeth engagements and theother with an odd number of teeth engagements, each rack being displacedin one direction whilst the carrier is rotating between a position atwhich the strip is sEvered from the web and a position at which thehandle is transferred to the transfer drum and being displaced in theopposite direction during the remainder of the carrier rotation. 6.Apparatus according to claim 4 including a pressure lever for acting onthe limbs of the U-shaped handle, said pressure lever being pivoted tothe carrier and having a pressure face immediately upstream of thesuckers, and a stationary cam co-operating with a spring-influenced camfollower provided on the pressure lever whereby, when the carrier is ina position at which the handle is transferred to the transfer drum, thepressure lever is swung against the spring influence to project the saidpressure face radially outwardly beyond the curve described by thesuckers as the carrier is rotated.